Chord storing apparatus for electric organ

ABSTRACT

A cord storing and playing apparatus is provided with keys and switches so that when one or more notes are played in an electronic musical instrument having keys, a record that that note or those notes have been played is stored in a memory bank. Thereafter, that note may be sounded or those notes may be sounded simultaneously upon closing a switch whereby the performer may set up his own note or chord that will be played when the play switch is closed.

O United States Patent 1 3,610,803

72 Inventor Douglas w. Taylor 3,178,499 4/1965 mam" 84/1.0l Phoenix, Ariz. 3,476,864 11/ 1969 Munch 84/1.03 [21] Appl. No. 858,072 3,515,792 6/1970 Deutsch 84/ 1.26 [22] Filed Sept. 15,1969 3,482,027 11/1969 Okamoto 84/103 [45] Patented Oct. 5, 1971 3,499,092 3/1970 Hunger 84/ 1.03 [73] Assignee Motorola, Inc. OTHER R NC Electronic World; (p.p. 42- 44 & 87) April 1960;

Electronic Organ Handbook; H. E. Anderson; Sept. 1960; 5 CHORD STORING APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC H. W. Sams & Bobs-Merrill Co's; lndianapolis- New York; 151

ed. ORGAN 4 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs. Primary ExaminerMilton O. Hirshfield 52 us. Cl 84/1.17 Skudy 511 lm. Cl Glh 3/05 Ammey-Mueh'and Male" [50] Field otSearch 84/1.01, 1.02, 1.03, 1.26, 1.28, 1.17; 307/238; 328/121,

122 ABSTRACT: A cord storing and playing apparatus is provided [56] Reterences Cited with keys and switches so that when one or more notes are played in an electronic musical Instrument having keys, a UNITED STATES PATENTS record that that note or those notes have been played is stored 2,645,969 7/1953 Daniel 84/016. 29 in a memory bank. Thereafter, that note may be sounded or ,840 3/1956 Gratian 84/DlG. 29 those notes may be sounded simultaneously upon closing a 3,011,373 1 61 HurvilZ 84/D1G. 29 switch whereby the performer may set up his own note or 0,847 1966 Chamberlin /DIG- 2 chord that will be played when the play switch is closed.

MUSICAL MUSICAL MUSICAL MUSICAL MUSICAL SOUND SOUND SOUND SOUND SOUND (EYE-EM SYIZJ 975E SlSlEM SYSTEM so a 22% 32 I x, 7 4O 74' 42 7s 44 45 l. 38 AND 2 ANd AND mi krfl 4 o 45- 5 0 so J 52- 154s J 5ss 1] so i R R R R 1L 92 F F F F 1 F F I F r r F F I PATENTEWBBI 5 mm MUSICAL MUSICAL musacm. MUSICAL MUSICAL sourw SOUND SOUND SOUND SOUND S S E SYSTEM SYSTEM SYSTEM SYSTEM 1 L l0 12 k I4 Li l6 L as L 30 AND 62 64 AND 66 AND ea AND 70- AND 58 48- s o 5o- 52- b 54- S 5s- 5 d i R R R R R 62 FF F-F F-F \FF F-F I i L L 9 H FLIP- FLOP- INVENTOR, Douglas W. Taylor ATTY'S.

' CHORD STORING APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC ORGAN BACKGROUND SUMMARY -According to the invention, a memory bank is provided into which signals may be stored which indicate that certain notes are to be played. Means are provided to cause these notes to be played as a chord upon closing a play switch or key. Other means are provided to clear the memory bank whereby signals indicating other notes may be stored in the memory bank and these other notes may be played as a chord. Furthermore, a signal corresponding to a single note may be stored and this single note may be played upon closing a play switch or key.

DESCRIPTION The invention will be better understood upon reading the following description in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FlG.,l is a block circuit diagram of a musical instrument including an embodiment of this invention; and 7 "FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of a portion of the instrument of FIG. 1 showing certain elements in detail.

Tumingfirst to FIG. 1, the rectangles l0, 12, 14, 16 and 18 indicate elements of an electronic musical instrument or organ that will produce discrete notes. Upon closing the on'off switch 30, the notes may be played individually by closing individual switches or keys 20, 22, 24, 26 and 28, or several notes may be played simultaneously by closing several of the switches 20, 22, 24, 26 or 28 simultaneously. Since the details of the musical sound system l0, l2, l4, l6 and 18 are unimportant in relation to this invention, each sound system l0, l2, l4, 16 or 18 may take any one of several forms. In general, the sound systems each include means for producing a musical sound 'upon a voltage (not shown) which is applied between the terminals 32 being applied to a respective one of the musical sound systems upon closing a switch 20, 22, 24, 26 or 28. Or the rectangles l0, l2, l4, l6 and 18 may apply an electrical wave to a joint sound system (not shown). Furthermore, while only live musical sound systems are illustrated, as many as may be desired may be provided.

If information indicating a note or a combination of notes is to be stored, the store switch 34 is closed. Then, a high-control voltage (not shown) which is connected between terminals 36 is applied to one terminal of each of the AND circuits 38, 40, 42, 44 and 46. Then, the switch 30 being closed, when a note is played by closing one of the switches 20, 22, 24, 26 and 28, high voltage will be applied to the other input terminal of a respective one of the AND circuits 38, 40, 44 and 46. The AND circuit having a high potential applied to both of the input terminals thereof will exhibit a high voltage at its output terminals. That AND circuit will apply a high voltage to a respective set or S terminal of a flip-flop circuit (hereinafter F- F) 48, 50, 52, $4 and 56, whereby a high voltage will appear on the output terminal 0 of the respective F-F. One or more keys 20, 22, 24, 26 and 28 may be operated simultaneously or successively while the switch 34 is closed whereby cor-' responding ones of the F-Fs l-Fs 48, 50, 52, 54 and 56 will be set to provide a high voltage at their respective output terminals O. This high or these highs will be applied to one input terminal of one or more ANDs 62, 64, 66, 68 and 70. Then, when the play switch 58 is closed to apply a high voltage appearing between the terminals 60 to one input terminal of each of the AND circuits 62, 64, 66, 68 and 70, certain ones of the AND circuits 62, 64, 66, 68 and 70 will have high voltages applied to both of their input terminals. These AND circuits will apply a high voltage to a respective musical sound system through one or more of diodes 72, 74, 76, 78 and 80, it being noted that the output terminals of the AND circuits 62, 64, 66, 68 and 70 are connected respectively to sound systems 10, 12, 1 4, 16 and I8. Only that or those sound systems l0, 12, 14, 16 and 18 which correspond to a respective AND 62, 64, 66, 68 or 70 to both of whose input tenninals a high is applied, will produce their characteristic sounds. Therefore, whichever notes are sounded while the store switch 34 is closed, will be played as a chord later, when the store switch 34 is open, upon closing the play switch 58, and this chord will be played whether or not the keys 20, 22, 24, 26 and 28 or any of them are closed. Therefore, a note or a chord is played each time the switch 58 is closed and the note or the notes comprising the chord is settable to the taste of the operator each time that the storing procedure as indicated above is followed. if it is desired to store a different note or chord, the reset switch 82 is closed to cause all of the F-Fs to exhibit a low voltage at their output terminals 0 and then the note or chord that is to be stored in the F-Fs 48, 50, 52, 54 and 56 are stored therein. The diodes 72, 74, 76,78 and are provided to prevent positive voltages from being applied to the output of an AND circuit 62, 64, 66, 68 or .70 when a switch or key 20, 22, 24, 26 or 28 is closed.

While any suitable AND circuit or any suitable F-F may be used in the circuit of FIG. l, FlG. 2 illustrates an AND circuit and an F-F which may be applied to a chip. ln FIGS. 1 and 2, similar elements are given identical reference characters. While only two AND circuits and only one F-F is shown in FIG. 2, as many as is desired may be provided.

The F-F 48 comprises two enhancement mode MOS transistors 84 and 86 each having grounded substrates. The drains of the two transistors 84 and 86 are connected by respective resistors 88 and 90 to a positive terminal 92 of the source, not shown. The drain of the transistor 86 is connected to the gate of the transistor 84 and the source of the transistor 86 is connected to ground. The drain of the transistor 84 is connected to the gate of the transistor 86 and the source of the transistor 84 is connected to ground through a closed reset switch 82. The F-F 84 is set by momentarily opening the switch 82, breaking the connection of the source of the transistor 84 to ground, whereby the transistor 84 no longer conducts and the transistor 86 becomes conductive. Then the switch 82 is again closed. However, the transistor 86 continues to conduct and the transistor 84 will remain nonconductive. When the switch 34 is closed and a note switch 20 is closed, a positive is applied to the drain and to the gate of a transistor 94 comprising the AND circuit 38 applying a positive to the gate of the transistor 84 making it conductive and the transistor 86 nonconductive. The F-F 48 then applies a high to the gate of the transistor 96 comprising the AND 62 and if the switch 58 is closed, high is applied by way of the rectifier 72 to one of the musical systems l0, l2, l4, 16 or 18 (not shown in FIG. 2) to play the note that was played previously when the switch 20 was closed. One note of a chord will be played for each portion of the chord memory system comprising one F-F such as 48 and two ANDs such as 38 and 62, and the chord that is played upon closing the switch 58 may consist of as many notes as is desired by providing other circuit portions comprising other pairs of ANDs such as 38 and 62 and other F-Fs such as 48.

What is claimed is:

l. A chord storing and playing apparatus comprising means to play more than one note of a musical instrument,

means to store an indication that the said notes were played,

and

means including said storage means to cause the playing of said notes as a chord,

in which said means to play notes includes keys or switches,

said means to store includes a store switch and AND circuits and F-F circuits, and

said means to cause playing circuits, said notes comprises a play switch and additional AND circuits said first-mentioned AND circuits being connected to change the condition of respective F-Fs when a key and said switches are closed and said second-mentioned AND circuits and said F-Fs being connected to play notes when said play switch is closed.

2. The invention as expressed in claim 1 in which means are provided to reset said F-Fs.

3. A chord storing apparatus comprising a plurality of means each including a respective note switch for producing a note upon closing said note switch,

a store switch,

a first plurality of AND circuits,

a plurality of storage elements each having a store condition UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO. 1 3,610,803

D TE I October 5, 1971 INVENTOR(S) 1 Douglas W. Taylor It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent is hereby corrected as shown below:

ON THE TITLE PAGE:

ABSTRACT LINE 1 AFTER "ABSTRACT" ADD OF THE DISCLOSURE CLAIM 1, LINE 10 "PLAYING CIRCUITS, SAID NOTES" SHOULD READ PLAYING OF SAID NOTES Signed and Scaled this Thirteenth Day of April 1982 ISEALI Arrest:

GERALD J. MOSSINGHOFF Arresting Offlcer Commissioner of Parents and Trademarks 

1. A chord storing and playing apparatus comprising means to play more than one note of a musical instrument, means to store an indication that the said notes were played, and means including said storage means to cause the playing of said notes as a chord, in which said means to play notes includes keys or switches, said means to store includes a store switch and AND circuits and F-F circuits, and said means to cause playing circuits, said notes comprises a play switch and additional AND circuits said first-mentioned AND circuits being connected to change the condition of respective F-Fs when a key and said switches are closed and said second-mentioned AND circuits and said F-Fs being connected to play notes when said play switch is closed.
 2. The invention as expressed in claim 1 in which means are provided to reset said F-Fs.
 3. A chord storing apparatus comprising a plurality of means each including a respective note switch for producing a note upon closing said note switch, a store switch, a first plurality of AND circuits, a plurality of storage elements each having a store condition and a reset condition, means including said AND circuits for changing the condition of one of said storage elements to its store condition upon closing said store switch and one of said note switches, a second plurality of AND circuits and a play switch, and means including said second plurality of AND circuits and said storage elements for playing a certain note corresponding to said storage elements whose condition has been changed upon closing said play switch.
 4. The invention as expressed in claim 3 in which means are provided to reset said storage elements. 